Black Eyes and Blue Tears
by nebula2
Summary: When Henry makes a comment about his parents that catches Dave Rossi's attention, Dave decides it's time to insert himself into the personal lives of Will and JJ. Will he be able to help or will his good intentions be rebuked. Future Fic.Written for CCOAC's The Future Fic Challenge.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This is written for CCOAC's Future Fic Challenge and is therefore set in the year 2022. There will be at least one more chapter possibly more. I have to see where the story leads me as I have a rough idea. I picked Will LaMontange as my character and got David Rossi. Will does make a more prominent appearance in the next chapter. This story fits in with my Amber/Reid universe that was first introduced in "Careless Man's Careful Daughter".**

_**Disclaimer: Criminal Minds and it's characters are not mine. I only own the OC's and plot.**_

* * *

Methodically, Dave Rossi rolled the meat mixture he had made into precise balls, trying to get each meatball about the same size. It was one of those small details that his mother had always insisted was important. That one meatball bigger or smaller than the others would affect the flavor balance of a dish. Though Dave really didn't see what difference one small meatball would make, learning how to cook under his mother's supervision had instilled the habit of uniformly sized meatballs in him. Since Isabella's death three years ago, Dave had started worrying about those little details his mama had tried to instill in him just in case she really was watching him from above.

As he finished off the meatballs for the meatball sandwiches he had promised ME he would make for dinner tonight, Dave realized that the kitchen had gotten awfully quiet. Turning he saw that Wesley, his three and a half year old grandson, had abandoned the blocks he was playing with and was nowhere to be seen.

Grumbling under his breath, the sixty-seven-year-old abandoned his dinner preparations and went in search of his grandson. Amber and Reid's second born was definitely a handful. Even child proofing the house, both here and the small house that Amber and Reid had moved into when ME was five, hadn't kept the adventurous boy from getting into things.

Walking toward the living room, his two-year-old Labrador, Angel, came running past, a flash of red causing Dave to do a double take. A red throw afghan had been stuffed in the dog's collar. Deciding to deal with the afghan later if necessary, he had a feeling Angel would soon rid herself of it on her own, Dave decided to continue his search for his grandson. Stepping into the living room, he realized he had made the right choice as Wesley, the baby blanket that Garcia had crocheted him stuck in the back of his shirt, was climbing up onto the back of the sofa.

Rushing forward as fast as his aging body would allow him to, Dave picked his grandson up before he could attempt to stand on the back of the couch.

"Grandpa, I want to fly!" Wesley exclaimed, clearly put out that his grandfather had plucked him from the back of the couch.

"Little boys can't fly," Dave informed him, turning to carry his grandson back to the kitchen so he could finish dinner preparations.

"Clark Kent does," Wesley protested.

"Clark Kent isn't human or real," Dave countered, shaking his head. He clearly needed to have a talk with Spencer about sharing comic books with Wesley. Both ME and Wesley had inherited their father's intelligence and the ideas that the two of them got into their head amazed him at times.

Placing Wesley back on the kitchen floor with his blocks, Dave went back to his dinner preparations, keeping a closer eye on his grandson. He then added the meatballs to the homemade spaghetti sauce, another one of his mother's recipes, which was already simmering in the crock pot. Picking up the lid, he placed it on the crock pot and noted the time. He still had a few hours until ME would get home from school.

He turned to his grandson who was starting once again to lose interest in the blocks. "Wesley, how about you and Grandpa go watch TV. We can put the Rag Tag Bears in to watch."

"Rag Tag Bears!" Wesley exclaimed getting to his feet. The three-year-old pumped his legs up and down in an imitation of a jump.

Dave grinned. Personally he found the colorful bears, the costumes looked to be made out of some kind of carpet material to him, annoying, but his grandson loved them. He couldn't figure out if it was the colors that attracted him or if he really found the show interesting, but it was the only show that Wesley would sit and watch all the way through. Along with the DVDs, Wesley also had all five of the Rag Tag Bears as stuffed animals, and a second green bear that spoke and sang. Dave had threatened Spencer with bodily harm if his grandson ever showed up at his house with that particular bear again.

Letting his grandson lead the way, Dave made his way back to the livingroom. Wesley drug the bean bag he enjoyed sitting on from its resting place in the corner and settled himself as Dave put in one of the many Rag Tag Bears DVD's. Grateful to be off his feet himself, Dave settled on the couch. It wasn't long before Angel hurried into the room and laid down on the couch next to him. Dave noted that the Labrador had managed to lose the afghan at some point.

A second DVD had been started when Dave heard the front door of the mansion open. Looking toward the doorway, it wasn't long before he saw his twelve-year-old granddaughter appeared in the doorway. The former FBI agent was not surprised to see Henry appear right behind ME. About six months apart, in age, the two were practically inseparable, and, as JJ and Will worked crazy hours like his daughter and son-in-law, Rossi didn't mind adding one more kid to his unofficial daycare center. If Henry wasn't at some after school activity, picking Henry up here was part of Will's normal afternoon routine.

"Hi, Grandpa!"

"Hey Sunshine!" Dave said, using his pet name for her. ME had been a ray of sunshine in his life since the day she was born. "How was school?"

"Mostly boring, although the experiment we did in science class was cool," ME replied. Like her father, the preteen had developed an affinity for science and mathematics. The downside to that was that she had begged her father to show her how to do his "Physics Magic" at a young age, causing Dave to ban all such antics from his home, a rule which included Spencer.

"Why don't you come sit down and tell me about it," Dave told her, as he glanced down at his watch. "We've still got some time before the meatballs will be done."

"You did make the meatballs!"

"I told you I would, didn't I?"

"Yes!" ME said as she walked into the livingroom.

Dave couldn't help but notice how poised she came off. Though tall and slender like her father, ME displayed none of the awkwardness that had plagued Spencer for years - and was still evident at times. Dave had a feeling it was partly due to Henry's influence, who had been ME's champion from the time the two of them started walking. No matter how cruel other kids might have gotten, she had always had Henry by her side.

Despite keeping ME in school with kids her own age, Spencer did help her explore topics outside her current grade level and ME also attended a summer program at Georgetown for gifted students. Like her father, ME tested at a genius IQ level, but, despite efforts from the school to move her ahead in grades, Spencer had insisted on keeping her with kids her own age. He wanted his kids to have a more normal childhood that he'd had growing up. Though he initially questioned the decision, Dave had to admit that in the long run having school be easy for ME was probably better in the long run.

"Can Henry stay for dinner?"

"I'm not sure his parents would appreciate a last minute change like that," Dave said. Though Henry often ate with him, ME, Wesley, and Amber while Spencer and JJ were out of town, he knew JJ valued family dinners when the job didn't take her away.

"Actually Mr. Dave, they probably won't mind. Mom and Dad got into another huge argument last night which means Mom is probably going to find something at the office to work late on. Dad will probably be relieved not to have to worry about dinner for the two of us."

The ease with which the thirteen-year-old said the words took Dave by surprise. It was as if he was just stating an everyday occurrence. That didn't set well with the long time profiler. He knew occasional arguments were part of all relationships, he and Wendy still had a few from time to time, but they shouldn't ever become commonplace. When that happened, then there was a much bigger issue than the smaller arguments that needed to be addressed.

"Well, let me call your father and check with him first," Dave said, before giving a definite answer one way or the other. He stood slowly from the couch, planning on calling Will from the kitchen while he checked on dinner. "Sunshine, keep an eye on your brother for me, will ya?"

"Yes, Grandpa."

Leaving the three kids in the livingroom, Wesley still enthralled with his kid's show, Dave headed for the kitchen. Taking his cell phone out on his way there, he soon found Will's name in the contact list and placed the call.

"Detective LaMontagne," came the familiar New Orleans drawl following the second ring.

"Hey, Will, it's Dave. Henry wants to stay for dinner tonight and I told him I'd have to check with you. I know you guys like to eat dinner as a family whenever possible."

"Yeah," Will said, drawing the word out as if he was trying to give himself time to think of a reply. "Well, JJ said she's got things she needs to do at work, so it wasn't going to be much of a family dinner tonight anyway. I'm fine with Henry eating there, if it's no trouble."

"No trouble at all. I enjoy having him around the house. The kids make this place feel more alive."

"Okay, then. I'll pick him up later this evening then. I've got paper work at the office I can actually work on myself, so I'll just log a few more hours."

"I'll let Henry know," Dave informed him. He considered asking Will if everything was okay between him and JJ. With his daughter and son-in-law's friendship with the LaMontagnes and the fact that Henry and ME were practically inseparable, the couple and their son were an important part of his life. Another son and daughter in some ways as the two families had celebrated every milestone in Henry and ME's lives together. Still, perhaps over the phone wasn't the best way to have this conversation. "I'll see you when you get here, Will," Dave said, planning on at least making the former New Orleans native sit down and eat something before heading home this evening.

Ending the call, Dave checked on the meatballs, stirring them a little before replacing the lid, and then heading back to the living room to give the kids the good news.

* * *

"Thanks for helping me clean up, Rosa Mia," Dave commented as he handed the final plate to Amber to be dried off. Father and Daughter were at the sink doing the dinner dishes before Amber and Spencer headed home with their two kids.

Dinner on the weekdays when Amber and Reid were working had become a tradition after Dave and Wendy got remarried. At first, Wendy had cooked dinner for the extended family, but after Dave had retired from the FBI a second time, he had assumed the role. He enjoyed it, as he got to experience the family closeness he hadn't had in his youth. Both Amber and Spencer enjoyed not having to cook after working and the kids enjoyed the time with their grandparents. It was a situation in which everyone won.

"It's no problem, Dad. Spencer and I appreciate all you do helping out with the kids."

"I love spending time with the kids. You know that."

"I know. And they love spending time with their grandparents," Amber said, putting the plate in the cupboard and closing the door. "However, I think I'm going to go see how Spencer is making out cleaning up Wesley so the four of us can head home. I'm sure ME has homework to do and I'm looking forward to a long bath and a movie on the couch after Wesley is in bed for the night."

"Sounds like a wonderful way to spend the evening," Dave agreed. Growing more serious, he decided to broach the subject of Henry's comment about his parents arguing with Amber. Perhaps his daughter would know better whether or not any of them should get involved in the situation. "Amber, do you know if Will and JJ have been having problems lately? Henry commented that his parents had a big argument last night and it seemed to me like he was getting use to the fact. Like it happens often."

Amber sighed. "I've noticed it myself. I've asked Will about it and he said it was nothing they couldn't work out. I don't think he wants to get me or Spencer caught up in the middle of anything. Spencer said when he asked JJ if everything was okay at home, when they were on that case in Oklahoma a few weeks back, she told him to quit profiling her and stormed away. They are definitely not the happy couple they once were though."

Dave pondered the information. Amber and Spencer getting involved could definitely turn awkward quickly giving the two couples close friendship. He knew neither of them would want to take sides in the matter. Even him interfering could have repercussions on the two families' friendship.

"I was thinking about having my own conversation with Will, but if you would rather me stay out of things, I will."

Amber let out a sigh of relief. "If you could get Will to talk to you that would be great. I can see the increased stress on his face even in the last few months."

Dave looked at Amber as she stopped talking. There was something else that she wasn't saying. "And?" he prompted.

"I've noticed a few bruises on him in the last month or so. He's always given me some excuse about running into something but when have you known Will to be clumsy," Amber said. Then she shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, maybe he's just preoccupied with other things when it happens."

Dave reached out and gave his daughter's shoulder a squeeze. "I'll check into it. You just enjoy your evening with your family."

"I will Dad," Amber replied.

Taking a step toward him, she kissed his cheek before leaving the kitchen. Dave leaned back against the counter trying to formulate a plan of attack.

"ME, get ready to leave. We need to get you home so you can do your homework," he heard Amber call out.

"But I'm beating Grandma and Henry at War," his granddaughter protested.

"I'm declaring a cease fire," Amber responded. "Now get your school stuff while I go check on your father and brother."

"Yes, ma'am," ME replied reluctantly.

Dave could hear Wendy's voice saying something to ME although he couldn't make it out. Dave couldn't help but smile. Things had definitely gotten better for him over the years. He wouldn't give up the life he had now for anything.


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: Hey, look I managed another chapter! Surprise! I think there will be one more chapter after this to wrap things up. Hope I've still got some readers out there._

* * *

After Amber and her family had left, Henry took out his school books and started in on his homework. Wendy had headed upstairs to take a warm bath, and Dave had retreated to his easy chair. Having settled in with the daily newspaper, Dave ventured a look over the top of it every now and then to check on Henry. The boy was steadily working on his homework with a diligence that Dave knew that he had never possessed.

When the doorbell rang, Dave actually jumped slightly at the interruption of the silence. Henry meanwhile had dropped his pencil and got to his feet.

"I bet that's, Dad," the teen said, hurrying from the room.

"Make sure you check the peep hole first," Dave called out to the boy, as he put the newspaper down and got to his feet.

"I will, Mr. Dave," Henry called back.

Reaching the hallway leading to the front door, Dave saw Henry peeking through the peep hole. "It's Dad!" Henry called, glancing briefly over his shoulder at Dave as he slid the security chain out of place and opened the front door.

Father and son had already exchanged hellos as Dave joined them.

"Thanks for keeping an eye on him and giving him dinner tonight, Dave," Will said to Dave, one arm around his son's shoulders as he stood just inside the doorway. Though the sun had already sunk almost all the way below the horizon, the D.C. detective still wore his sunglasses.

"Think nothing of it. Henry is no problem to have around, especially after chasing Wesley around the house all afternoon."

Will smiled. "I bet. They are a handful at that age."

"Have you eaten yet?" Dave asked, thinking that a conversation over a meal might be the best way to bring up the topic he wanted to discuss with Will.

"Not yet. I'll just grab a sandwich or something when I get home."

"Nonsense. There are plenty of meatballs left over from dinner - completely homemade."

As tempting as the offer sounded, Will hesitated. "I'm sure you and your wife would like to spend some time alone this evening."

"We'll still have plenty of the evening left to enjoy one another's company," Dave countered, dismissing the lame excuse. "Henry, why don't you go back to working on your homework while I get your father something to eat," Dave suggested.

"Okay," Henry said, stepping away from his father and heading back to the living room.

Dave turned his attention back to Will. "Come on in," he said, motioning to the detective to come all the way into the house with a sweeping gesture.

Seeing that Dave was not going to take no for an answer, Will gave a sigh and walked into the house. As Dave shut the door behind him, the New Orleans native slowly reached up and reluctantly removed the sunglasses, knowing that to leave them on indoors would only raise more questions. Dave immediately noticed the black eye that the glasses had been hiding.

"That looks like it hurts," Dave said, as he motioned with one hand down the hallway toward the kitchen. "What happened?"

Will shrugged. "It's no big deal," he replied, as he started down the hallway, purposefully not answering the question. Having been to Dave's house on numerous occasions, Will knew where he was going.

Dave let the avoidance of the question go for now. He had a feeling it would come back up during the conversation he planned to engage Will in. "How was your day at work?" Dave asked instead, deciding to start the conversation off on a more neutral topic.

Will started talking about his day as they entered the kitchen. Taking a seat at the table that Dave motioned to, he continued chatting while Dave warmed up the meatballs again and prepared a sandwich for him. It wasn't long before Dave was placing the plate and a glass of iced tea on the table in front of Will.

"This smells delicious," Will commented, inhaling the aromas of the homemade meatballs and tomato sauce.

"From the comments earlier, it tastes just as good," Dave informed him.

Dave gave the D.C. detective a few moments to eat his sandwich in peace before he started in on the conversation that he really wanted to have with Will.

"So, how are things going between you and JJ?" Dave asked, trying to sound casual. He might be retired for the second time but all the tricks he had learned during his years as a profiler for getting unwilling participants to talk were still there. Even if the skills were a little rusty, getting Will to open up was bound to be easier than getting a killer to admit to his crimes.

Will coughed as his surprise over the question caused him to choke on the sip of ice tea he had been taking. "We're fine," he replied once he had recovered. "We've both been busy with work lately but then you worked at the BAU so you know what that's like."

"Yeah, I do and I also know from experience, what working at the BAU, or law enforcement in general, can do to a relationship."

"Yeah, our jobs do keep us busy and add a certain amount of . . . complications to the relationship but we've always worked through them before."

"I think the key word in that sentence is before," Dave commented, knowing that he was walking on a fine edge. Getting involved in someone else's marital issues could be tricky, especially when both people involved were friends. However, Dave cared too much about Will and his family to let things go. To allow Henry to live in an unhealthy home environment if there was something that he could do to help.

Will was concentrating hard on the sandwich in front of him as he tried to avoid responding to Dave's observation.

Dave remained silent for a few moments, wanting to give Will a chance to respond and consider his next words. When the detective took another bit of the sandwich instead of replying, Dave chose to speak again.

"Will, I know you want to do what's best for Henry, and if things are bad enough, sometimes the parents staying together isn't always for the best. Henry made a comment here this afternoon which gave me the impression that you and JJ having an argument is as common as him going off to school or you and JJ heading off to work."

"It's not that bad," Will replied defensively, placing the remaining portion of his meatball sandwich down on the plate. "Things have just been stressful for both of us lately and JJ's been putting in a lot of time away. I could be more understanding on the day's she is home. Of course she's going to want to spend time with Henry and rest more than spend time cleaning the house."

Dave nodded. How many times had he heard excuses like that before from battered wives, not that he knew for sure JJ was hitting Will? Still, there was the black eye that Will was reluctant to explain and the bruises that Amber had mentioned.

"Did she give you the black eye?" Dave asked choosing the direct approach this time around.

"Sort of," Will admitted, shifting uncomfortably in the chair.

Dave leveled his gaze at the detective but remained silent, waiting for Will to explain further.

"We got into an argument about Henry's school work. His grades have slipped this last semester and I wanted to discuss the meeting I had with his teachers while she was away on the last case. The discussion quickly deteriorated into her blaming me for not offering help and making sure that he did his homework. I said something along the lines of if she thought she could do a better job then she needed to stay home with him more often," Will paused. He finally lifted his gaze from the table, and looked over at Rossi. "It was unfair of me, I know," he said, almost defensively. "Anyway, JJ picked up a pot that was nearby and threw it at me. It took me by surprise and I didn't move out of the way fast enough. The black eye is the result."

"Are incidents like that how the other bruises happened too?"

A look of panic crossed Will's face.

"I was talking to Amber earlier. She's concerned," Dave explained.

"I didn't want her in the middle of this. She and Spencer have been such good friends to us, it wouldn't be fair."

"Exactly why they are both concerned and want to help."

Will shook his head. "I just need to be more understanding."

"From what little I've heard, that could go both ways," Dave remarked, causing Will to look back down at the abandoned meatball sandwich. The New Orleans native started absently picking pieces of the roll off but didn't comment. "Look Will, take it from someone whose been through a few failed marriages, sometimes things just can't be worked out. Sometimes the timing is off. It's a hard decision to make but you need to consider that perhaps it would be better if you and JJ separated."

"But Henry-"

Dave didn't give him a chance to finish the protest. "I know you want what is best for Henry but you need to consider that perhaps staying together isn't for the best. If he's seeing you and JJ fight all the time, it isn't healthy for him. I'm sure he's noticed the bruises just like others have. What kind of message is that sending him? It may even be the cause for his slipping grades."

"I hadn't considered that," Will said. He paused briefly before continuing. "I still love JJ, Dave but lately it doesn't seem like she still loves me. When she is home, if she isn't at work or with Henry she still isn't home much. When she is in the house, we seem to yell at each other more than talk. She didn't even ask if I was okay when I got hit by the pot."

Dave reached out and rested his hand on the younger man's arm. "Will, I know how hard it is when a relationship that you're invested in doesn't work out. However, if it's not a healthy relationship than you need to get out. For your sake and for Henry's."

"I'll think about it," Will replied quietly, fully intending to think seriously about the conversation he and Dave had just had once he got home and had some time alone.

Dave nodded, satisfied with the answer for now. As much as he would like to, he knew that hew wouldn't be able to solve the marital problems of his two friends. Whatever steps were taking next, one of them had to take them. The only thing that Dave could do was be there for support, and from where he stood right now, it was Will that seemed like he was going to need support. Not that he was planning on cutting JJ out of his life, but Dave simply had more contact with Will these days since he wasn't traveling with the BAU.

The two made small talk for a few minutes before Will gathered Henry and headed for the car. As Dave watched father and son make their way down the front walk, he found himself whispering a short prayer for the pair.


End file.
